Richard Arum, dean of education, leads UCI's bridge program to produce more K-12 STEM teachers. Steve Zylius / UCI

With a $230,000 grant from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, UCI faculty, led by Richard Arum, dean of the School of Education, have embarked on a project to address the shortage of K-12 math and science teachers. They’re developing a bridge program that will enable community college students to transfer to UCI’s nationally recognized CalTeach curriculum to earn a B.S. and teaching credential in four years. “UC launched CalTeach in 2009 to increase the number of skilled math and science teachers,” Arum said. “Our bridge program will provide the coursework and fieldwork that transfer students need to complete prior to entering CalTeach.” Ken Janda, dean of the School of Physical Sciences, and Philip Collins, professor of physics & astronomy, are co-principal investigators on the 18-month project. Participating faculty members are Virginia Panish, director of teacher education; Elizabeth van Es, associate professor of education; Rachel Baker, assistant professor of education; Jessica Pratt, lecturer in ecology & evolutionary biology; Amanda Holton, lecturer in chemistry; Kris Houston, CalTeach master teacher; and Therese Shanahan, science academic coordinator and CalTeach master teacher.